Opinions have been pretty well split over Fredy Montero's signing with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

On one side, there's people — frankly, like myself — who think Montero has a right to return to MLS and be close to his family. Plus, the Whitecaps are not the Portland Timbers, or even the LA Galaxy, in terms of the intensity of the rivalry.

Brian Schmetzer gives at least some reason to believe Evans could return in 2018.

Brad Evans is a free agent and currently training with Sporting Kansas City. To hear KC head coach Peter Vermes tell it, Evans is likely to sign there if he can "get back to full strength." That doesn't seem to bode well for his future with the Seattle Sounders.

Roman Torres looks to be staying with the Seattle Sounders.The defender had been close to a new deal for quite some time now and reports indicate that the Panama international has signed a new contract that would keep him in Seattle until 2020.

Brad Evans will not play again in 2017 and may have made his final appearance for the Seattle Sounders. After not suiting up since Aug. 5, the decision was made to focus on a 2018 return, Evans recently told Prost Amerika.

Although his back injury had previously been reported by Sounder at Heart about a month ago, Evans had been holding out some hope he would be able to return this season.

Coming off a three-match draw streak, the Seattle Sounders head to the road. Far from favorites, the opportunity for points exists as FC Dallas is running away from the MLS Cup Playoffs and into the dire lands below the red line. Seattle will be without Jordan Morris, Brad Evans, and Calum Mallace.

TUKWILA, Wash. — Some clubs let the players pick the captain. Seattle Sounders have done this at times. In other cases it is the coach who assigns the largely ceremonial role. Sounders do this currently, and most often through their MLS history.

TUKWILA, Wash. — Right back may be the Seattle Sounders version of the Spinal Tap drummer. Brad Evans was supposed to start the season there but injury, and now a red card, took him away quite often. Now, entering an Open Cup match against San Jose Earthquakes and a road game to Colorado Rapids head coach Brian Schmetzer will have to test a sixth, yes sixth, right back just halfway through the season.

Seattle Sounders resume play at CenturyLink Field with a 7:30 PM midweek match against Orlando City. This match starts just 20 minutes after the Seattle Mariners game against the Detroit Tigers so you should plan for difficult traffic and parking hassles.

Despite the many injury issues that have plagued Seattle this season, they should have most first-choice players back on Saturday

It's only a couple months into the 2017 MLS season, but the Seattle Sounders have already been put through the ringer in multiple ways. The injury bug started hitting players before the season even started, and it's been relentless ever since.

Saturday April 8 (7:30 PM, Q13 Fox & Univision-Seattle) the Seattle Sounders take their first trip down to Avaya Stadium of 2017. The San Jose Earthquakes are 5th in the West with a 2-2-0 +0 record. Seattle is 1-1-2 +1 and 6th in the conference. Victor Bernardez is suspended for the match. CenterLineSoccer is the SB Nation home for the 'Quakes.

No real updates on other players, though Aaron Kovar did do light fitness work for the first time on Friday

Despite only being a few weeks into the 2017 MLS season, the Seattle Sounders have already had to deal with a handful of injuries to first-team players. Brad Evans has yet to feature for the club this season after suffering a calf injury in training.

Brian Schmetzer's latest lineup features just one change for his Seattle Sounders FC. Harry Shipp is replacing Alvaro Fernandez in the starting lineup. Gustav Svensson continues as the right back option, with Brad Evans out and Oniel Fisher still with limited fitness.

Even if Oniel Fisher passes concussion protocol by Saturday, he might not make the starting XI.

With just under a week left before the 2017 MLS season kicks off, the Seattle Sounders are faced with a selection dilemma that could put a wrench in Brian Schmetzer's plans to defend the club's first MLS Cup.

Brad Evans started 2016 as the captain of the Seattle Sounders. He was their centerback at that point. By the end of the year he was either injured or a bench player. His large option was picked up. The team clearly sees him as a valuable member, but how they will use him is one of the greatest mysteries of 2017.

Los Angeles FC will have a couple former captains to choose from the Seattle Sounders in the Dec. 12 Expansion Draft. Free agent Brad Evans being unprotected was expected. Slightly more surprising, but not entirely unexpected as seen in this year's protectinator results, is that Designated Player Osvaldo Alonso is also on Seattle's unprotected list.

Again, the goal is first place. This week's match against Minnesota United can result in the Seattle Sounders taking first in the West (a draw would mean second, a loss third) and possibly as high as fourth in the Supporters Shield standings.

Now in a five-game winless streak, and with the playoffs just four matches away, the Seattle Sounders desperately need a win. For added incentive, without a win there is no way way they can take the Cascadia Cup in 2017. Vancouver Whitecaps currently sit first in the Western Conference.

Jordan Morris and Brad Evans are both a ways off from returning, but everyone else is good to go.

Riding a 13-game unbeaten run, but also a four-game winless streak, the Seattle Sounders will head into Saturday's match at Real Salt Lake about as healthy as can be expected. Aside from the longer term injuries to Jordan Morris (hamstring) and Brad Evans (back), the Sounders are expected to have a full complement of players from whom to select.

Camp Cupcake ends with a 1-nil win by the United States over Jamaica. It was the only goal of the January friendlies. Jordan Morris took a pass from Benny Feilhaber and slipped it by Ryan Thompson in the 59th minute.

As they did against Serbia, the US struggled to generate an offense, but were stout in defense.

Near where the Duwamish meets the Sound is a small stadium, holding up to 69,000 people. Today, CenturyLink Field will be over 50,000 voices strong, all trying to help power another win over the Portland Timbers. Both the team from the logging village and the Seattle Sounders can be first after this game.

S2 won their first game of the year, keeping Portland Timbers 2 winless through their first three games and improving to 8-1-0 all-time against their southern rivals. We were particularly impressed with Academy player Sam Rogers and First Teamer Zach Mathers.

They're also first team in MLS history to erase two three-goal deficits in a single season.

Through 50 minutes, the Seattle Sounders couldn't do anything right. Facing the worst team in the league at home, they were trailing 3-0 and had only managed to take four shots, none of which were on frame.

Brad Evans doesn't like MLS' convoluted acquisition rules, and isn't too shy to say so, as he took to twitter to state he'd never play for a rival team despite them.

The Seattle Sounders and U.S. Men's National Team defender's twitter was ablaze on Wednesday, as he sparked a storm with his comments lamenting MLS player acquisition rules while stating he would never play for a rival.

The Rest

Well, that was brutal. Talk about draws that feel like losses. I won't rehash too many of the painful details, but know that last week, the rivalry match ended in a 2-2 draw with goals from Dempsey, Joevin Jones, Asprilla, and Adi. There was also a red card to Brad Evans.

Surprisingly, though many of you predicted a draw, there were no 2-2 predictions, only 3-3 or 1-1.

This was the third time this week that Evans had trained and the second time he was fully involved

Going into this season, Brad Evans seemed to have the inside track on the starting right back job. After all, Tyrone Mears had been effectively traded to Atlanta United and Evans was highly thought of enough that he had been invited to the United States national team training camp.

With the international break over the Seattle Sounders return to MLS action. They host Atlanta United at CenturyLink Field on FoxSports 1 (7 PM). A contest between a team that defined being an expansion side and one that is trying to redefine that will be slightly dampened by a few absences, but still features two strong offenses.

Get there early. There will be the largest opening day crowd in Sounders history.

Finally, we get to see the Seattle Sounders play at home for the first time this season after they opened up with two games on the road. Prior to the game on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. against the New York Red Bulls, there will be tons of different things you can do to get ready.

Coaches Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso held a live draft on Tuesday to select their squads

With just a little over a week until the Zach Scott testimonial match, we now know the rosters of the two teams that will battle it out for charity in honor of Mr. Sounder. The two team coaches, current Sounders Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso, held a live-streamed draft on the Sounders Facebook page on Tuesday to select their teams.